Maybe you are transporting your bike to your new home or you are just taking it somewhere you can go for a spin; whatever the reason, nobody wants to damage their bike while doing something as simple as loading it up to the truck bed. Of course, there are many ways to do it, we will look into the easiest and the most convenient way to do it and that is by using a ramp. By the end of the blog, you should be able to load up any motorcycle into the truck bed safely on your own.
How to Load a Sportbike on Pickup Truck Bed? To load a sportbike, you have to set up two arched ramps and then use the bike’s power to walk over the bike up to the truck bed. Then fix the bike to a wheel chock and tie it down with some straps to keep it steady in motion.
Table of Contents
You Will Need:
- Two arched ramps
- Wheel chock/stand
- Tie-downs
Step 1: Find An Incline
For many, the most important part of loading or unloading a bike is to find an incline. It is because when you have a truck that is positioned to assist you in loading up you can easily reduce the angle you need to push the bike up the rack. This overly reduces the force you need to use to get the bike into the bed. Good include will make the process much easier and will make it a lot less risky.
For most people, the easiest way to get this incline is by pulling the rear wheels of the pickup on the edge of the street where it meets the driveway. The streets are typically edged down to the sides to allow for drainage and the driveways are designed the same way too. The slope of the street bends the bed down a little bit which makes rolling the bike down or up to the driveway easier. Don’t forget to set your parking brake so that the pickup doesn’t move.
Step 2: Set Your Ramps
Here are a few things to remember when picking your ramps for loading up your motorcycle. We suggest you to always used arched ramps because it creates a seamless platform near the tailgate. With a straight ramp, it creates a high point where the ramp meets the tailgate. This is where the lowest point of the bike slams into the tailgate and may tumbles over the bike to one side, thereby making it difficult to handle.
Next, make sure that they are fixed securely to the ruck; this is where you need a few security straps or ratchet straps. Don’t make the mistake of just resting it on the edge of the tailgate or you will end up damaging your sportbike as well as injuring yourself. The weight of the bike and the suspension of the truck can disassemble the ramp from the edge and you will land straight on the ground.
Along with loading up the sportbike, you will have to climb along with the bike. Imagine the kind of trouble you will go through if you just load up the truck and you stay on the ground. You will definitely find it inconvenient to be on the ground and still trying to climb up the bike. This is why you need a second ramp which is for you to walk along with the bike.
Step 3: Set Up Wheel Chock
Now that your incline and ramps are set, you will have to set up the wheel chock. If you are happy with the position of the pickup and ramp, you could go on to set that wheel choke at the center, pushed against the cab side of the bed wall. If you could get a heavy wheel chock it won’t shift when you roll up your bike into it. Also, look for a choke with a swiveling ramp which locks the wheel in place and keeps the bike upright when you are driving.
Step 4: Loading The Bike
By now you are all set to roll up the bike into the truck bed and if you did everything else right, loading the bike isn’t a tough job anymore. There are typically two ways to do it: either you push it to the top of the bed or you use the bike’s power to take it to the top of the bed. Pushing up a dirt bike or sport bike will be easier to do, but for cruisers and touring bikes, you will need some help from the horsepower.
Most would prefer to push it up by themselves because it would give the most control over the person. If the ramps are laid down well, it will be pretty easy to do. If you want you can always call for a second hand if you need a little bit of a nudge. It would be better if someone keeps the front part of the bike stable so that it doesn’t roll down.
If you want to use the bike’s power there are two ways to do it: first is riding it up and the second is to walk it up using the throttle and clutch. If you want to be safe, it is better to walk it up than to ride it up. That’s because if it stalls, it will be easier to walk it down to try again. However, if you ride it up and if it stalls in between you are in trouble because there is little traction between you and the ramp and space is also narrow. After you have climbed up the bike to the wheel chock in the truck bed, you work is done; all that’s left is to secure it down so that it doesn’t move around while you drive.
Step 6: Strap It Down
The hardest part is over, now you have to strap it down to keep it fixed to the truck bed. Here, you will need a pair of tie-downs both in the front and in the rear. If you have a bed extender for your bike, you will not need the rear tie-downs. With the fixed wheel chock, you will need only two tie-downs. You can use some soft loop straps or ratchet straps to keep the bike in position.
Related Questions:
How Much Does it Cost to Tow a Motorcycle?
A 5 mile or fewer tow costs between $35 to $120. A 40-mile tow can cost up to $270.
Does AAA Offer Motorcycle Towing?
Yes, you can add motorcycle towing to their classic or premium package by adding just $35 per member.
How Much Does it Cost to Ship a Moped?
For under 1000 miles, the cost of shipping a moped or a scooter is nearly $0.50 per mile and for under 100 miles, the cost of shipping is nearly $2.30 per mile.
How to Load a Motorcycle on a Lifted Truck?
For a lifted truck you need a couple of extra long ramps with lock-in clips to keep it in place. Here, you can ride on the motorcycle while loading instead of loading it without ignition.
What is the Maximum Height for a Load?
The maximum legal load width is 8.5 feet and max height limit is 13.5 to 14.5 feet; however, the legal dimensions vary from state to state.
Conclusion:
Loading up a motorcycle is not that complicated however, people tend to turn it into a mess for not using the right tools and gears. If you have followed our above-mentioned steps, you should be able to load up your motorcycle pretty easily. That said, to unload the motorcycle you follow the same steps only this time you make sure you take it slow.
